Gold Note DS-10 User manual

OWNERʼS MANUAL
DS-10/PLUS
HIGH-END DAC - STREAMER - LINE PREAMP - HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER -
*WITH ANALOG INPUT (ONLY ON DS-10 PLUS)
DS-10
GOLD NOTE

PACKAGE CONTENT...... ..........................................................................................................................
INTRODUCTION AND FEATURES
..............................................................................................................
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
...................................................................................................................
FRONT PANEL
.........................................................................................................................................
REAR PANEL................
..........................................................................................................................
SELECT FUNCTIONS
................................................................................................................................
REMOTE CONTROL..........
.......................................................................................................................
OVERVIEW DS-10 FEATURES
...................................................................................................................
SELECTABLE PARAMETERS................................................................................................................
CONTROL APP.................
.......................................................................................................................
NETWORK SETUP.............
......................................................................................................................
CONNECTING OTHER SOURCES.............
.................................................................................................
WARRANTY AND SERVICE.........................................................................................................................
TROUBLESHOOTING........
.......................................................................................................................
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.............
..........................................................................................
P. 3
P. 4
P. 6
P. 7
P. 8
P. 9
P. 10
P. 11
P. 12
P. 14
P. 20
P. 22
P. 23
P. 24
P. 25
INDEX
2

• DS-10/PLUS
• 1 AC cable
• 1 Ethernet cable
• 1 Wi-Fi antenna
• Remote control + battery
• Owner’s manual
3
PACKAGE CONTENT

USB
INTRODUCTION AND FEATURES
A MODERN AUDIO SOURCE FOR THE
CONTEMPORARY AUDIOPHILE
The DS-10 is a versatile state-of-the-art 4-in-1 unit
designed for the contemporary audiophile and
featuring a new generation D/A Converter, UPnP-
DLNA Streamer, Line Preamplifier and Headphone
Amplifier. The technology of the DS-10 is brilliantly
enclosed in a compact-sized aluminium chassis and
it’s the perfect addition to a modern High-End audio
system. Inspired by our acclaimed IS-1000 All-In-One
unit, it combines its extended connectivity features
with the exceptional high-resolution of the Bluetooth
5.0 - for the first time ever on a High-End audio
product - and the impressive headphones double
power GAIN output. The DS-10 PLUS is also equipped
with a 3.5 mm jack analogue input, becoming a
complete preamplifier for analogue and digital
sources (available on DS-10 PLUS only).
HIGH-END DAC AND NETWORK STREAMER
The DS-10 is a Roon Ready device with a quick
plug&play set-up and multi-room capabilities. Simply
connect it to your network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and
then to your power amplifier or active speakers and
get ready to explore the limitless possibilities of high-
resolution music. Stream through Roon, Airplay,
Tidal, MQA, Qobuz, Spotify and Deezer, and control
the DS-10 with your smartphone or tablet through
our App (available for iOS and Android for free). With
DS-10 you can also play your collection of digital
music stored locally on a NAS or a USB flash drive
(DSD64 on USB and LAN, PCM up to 24/192).
LINE PREAMPLIFIER AND HEADPHONES AMP
The DS-10 is equipped with an on/off switchable
High-End Analogue Preamp stage to enable the
control of the analogue volume even through web
players (when the Preamp stage is activated) and
guarantee the best performance ever. The DS-10
also features a professional 6.3mm headphones
output with two sensitivity levels (High/Low), a pro-
prietary technology we developed to help get the
best out of your headphones. With the additional
analogue input (available on the PLUS model only)
the DS-10 PLUS becomes the perfect integration
between the Gold Note PH-10 phono stage and the
PA-10 power amplifier.
4

INTRODUCTION AND FEATURES
DIGITAL CHAMELEON AUDIOPHILE DAC
The DS-10 has a unique feature that sets it apart
from any other DAC, making it the most versatile DAC
available today - three different profiles can be
selected to fine-tune the performance of the DAC,
which adapts to the music it’s playing as a
chameleon. For the first time ever, the DAC behaviour
can be changed to adapt to the music played without
modifying the audio signal and thus maintaining the
highest audio quality, acting on the deemphasis, the
low-pass digital filters and the amount of power
applied to the circuits. Such profiles can be selected
in real-time during music playback delivering a
unique listening experience and ease of use thanks
to the clear menu on the TFT display. It’s time to
enjoy the unprecedented listening pleasure that only
the DS-10 can offer you.
EASY TO INSTALL, EASY TO SET UP
The DS-10 is a plug&play DAC that is easy and quick
to set up in your system. Once it’s connected to
your network, it only needs a power amplifier or
some active speakers and you are ready to start lis-
tening. All the functions available on the DS-10 are
fully controlled through the SKC (Single Knob Con-
trol) and the dedicated App.
TOTAL CONTROL OVER YOUR MUSIC
With its large 2.8” TFT display you can quickly check
all the functions of the DS-10 and control it using
the dedicated App and our SKC (Single Knob Con-
trol) located on the front panel, or the Gold Note re-
mote control. The dedicated App - available for free
for Apple iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android smart-
phones and tablets - displays all metadata, cover
and other information registered on the track as well
as the real resolution format.
TOTAL CONTROL OVER YOUR MUSIC
With its large 2.8” TFT display you can quickly check
all the functions of the DS-10 and control it using
the dedicated App and our SKC (Single Knob Con-
trol) located on the front panel, or the Gold Note re-
mote control. The dedicated App - available for free
for Apple iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android smart-
phones and tablets - displays all metadata, cover
and other information registered on the track as
well as the real resolution format.
DURABLE DESIGN 100% MADE IN ITALY
Our products are designed to ensure the best expe-
rience of use and the DS-10 features a state-of-the-
art mechanical structure made of solid machined
steel and thick aluminium. The high-quality materials
used guarantee low-frequency resonance, feedback
vibrational control and low magnetic inertial field.
GOLD NOTE MODULAR DESIGN
Thanks to the unique and innovative Gold Note mod-
ular design, the DS-10 can drive PSU-10 EVO, the
dedicated external inductive power supply, to en-
hance its performance even more. If you are after
uncompromising quality, check with your local dealer
the availability of PSU-10 EVO and arrange a listen-
ing session.
5

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
MAIN FEATURES
D/A Converter AKM AK4493 PCM up to 32bit/
768kHz and DSD512 native
Streamer Network Player PCM and DSD
Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz +/-0.1dB
THD – Total Harmonzic Distortion: 0.001% max
Signal to Noise ratio: -125dB
Dynamic range: 120dB
Output impedance RCA/XRL: 50Ω
Preamp Stage Volume Control: enabled/disabled
DIGITAL INPUTS
•1x RCA coaxial PCM asynchronous up to 24bit/
192kHz
•2x TOS-optical PCM asynchronous up to 24bit/
192kHz
•1x AES/EBU balanced PCM asynchronous up to
24bit/192kHz
•1x USB-A port to feed USB flash memories,
FAT32/NTFS formatted playing DSD64 and PCM up
to 24bit/192kHz
•1 x USB-B asynchronous up to DSD512 and PCM
up to 32bit/384kHz
ANALOGUE INPUT (DS-10 PLUS)
3.5mm mini jack
AUDIO OUTPUTS
DAC: Stereo RCA @1Volt and balanced XLR @2Volt
PREAMP: stereo RCA, balanced XLR; 1 headphone
6,3mm Jack on the front panel double gain
POWER
100-240V, 50/60Hz
Multiple Transformer proprietary power supply
Power consumption: 30W
EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
PSU-10 EVO: external inductive multi transformer
power supply (optional)
NETWORK CONNECTIVITY
LAN/WLAN (WiFi): 802.11b/g via RJ45 10/100Mbps
socket
Bluetooth: High Definition 5.0
HIGH QUALITY STREAMING
Airplay, Deezer, MQA, Qobuz, Roon, Spotify, Tidal,
vTuner
SUPPORTED AUDIO FORMATS (NETWORK)
up to PCM 24bit/192kHz:
AIFF (.aif, .aiff, .aifc)
ALAC
WAV (.wav) packed/unpacked
FLAC
MP3
DSD64: DSF, DFF
Apple Lossless
OGG
Monkey’s
DSD64: DSF, DFF
IMPORTANT: UpnP server must support DSD stream-
ing in order to stream DSD files.
SUPPORTED MEDIA SERVERS
All UPnP / DLNA / Roon
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
200mm W 80mm H 260mm D
Weight: Kg. 4 net - Kg. 5 boxed
FINISHES
Brushed Aluminium available in Black, Silver or Gold
REMOTE CONTROL
Multifunctional remote control
APP
GN Control
6

SKC (Single Knob Control)
DISPLAY
LED STANDBY/ON-OFF
FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW
DS-10 is an innovative D/A Converter, Streamer with a High-End headphone amplifier and Bluetooth 5.0.
Everything has been designed to provide the best experience and thanks to the exclusive SKC (Single Knob
Control) the unit becomes a friendly plug-and-play source that can be fully controlled even without the remote.
All the information and features are easy to read and access on the display at any time, so you will also have
complete control over the system.
7
FRONT PANEL
DS-10
GOLD NOTE

REAR PANEL OVERVIEW
DS-10 features a wide selection of connections to offer the best versatility and become the core of a real
High-End system that will deliver audio in true audiophile quality.
*PLEASE NOTE: the antenna must be mounted
8
REAR PANEL
1
2
ANALOG LINE OUTPUT
RCA unbalanced
XLR balanced
DIGITAL INPUT
4
5
6
7
8
9
USB HOST (A type)
USB-B type
AES/EBU balanced
RCA COAX
TOS 1
TOS 2
PSU IN
LINE-IN (only on DS-10 PLUS)
WPS WI-FI reset
POWER AND OTHERS
WI-FI led
AC plug IEC standard
WI-FI Antenna*
Ethernet
GN Link connector
3
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
R L
R L
AES/EBU COAXUSB HOST USB DAC
GN LINK
AC IN 100 - 240 V
PSU IN
TOS 1 TOS 2
WI-FI
ANTENNA
LINE-IN
WPS
WI-FI
RESET
WI-FI
LED
ETHERNET
UNBALANCED
BALANCED
SERIAL NUMBER
678910
11
12
13
16
14
15
12
5
443

DS-10
GOLD NOTE
DS-10
GOLD NOTE
SINGLE PUSH
3 SEC. PUSH
TURNING ON/OFF DS-10
To turn on/off the unit, press and hold the knob for 3 seconds.
HOW TO SELECT THE FUNCTIONS
1. press the knob once to activate the SELECTION FRAME
2. turn the knob left or right until the desired function is highlighted by in white then press the knob to
select it
3. the frame will turn red: now you can turn the knob to change the function
4. press the knob again when the desired value is set to confirm and exit the selection
9
SELECT FUNCTIONS

ENTER
activates the SELECTION FRAME
and selects the functions, just like
you would do by pressing the knob
POWER ON/OFF
use POWER ON/OFF to turn ON and OFF
the DS-10
DAC
To control DS-10 press the button
DAC on the remote control
VOLUME
use VOL+ and VOL- to adjust the
volume level by 1 step at a time
MUTE
use MUTE to instantly mute the DS-10
the input selection is disabled while
DS-10 is in MUTE
INPUT SELECTION
use IN+ and IN- to change the
selected input.
use IN+ and IN- when the SELECTION
FRAME is red (active selection) to
change the function and set the
desired value
DISPLAY
Dimmer in 4 step:
Full, 50%, 25%, OFF
USING THE REMOTE CONTROL
DS-10 is supplied with a Gold Note remote control to help you conveniently operate the DAC without even
touching the knob located on the frontal panel.
With the remote control you can fully access every function just like you would when using the knob.
The GN remote control can be used to control more than one unit. To control each unit the correct mode must
be selected on the remote.
10
REMOTE CONTROL

NETWORK - select this input to use the streaming services, for music on local servers storage and airplay
AES - balanced input to connect additional sources from your system, like a professional CD Player
USB A type - input to connect additional sources (USB drive)
USB B type - input to connect additional sources (PC/MAC)
TOS 1, 2 - digital inputs to connect additional sources, CD/TV
COAX - digital inputs to connect additional sources, CD/TV
BLUETOOTH - share music from your phone or computer
LINE-IN - analog input (only on DS-10 PLUS)
VOLUME
0 to 100
DISP
Turn the display ON / OFF
/ Dimmer.
When the display is OFF,
simply operate the knob or
the remote to turn it ON
again temporarily (timing
is 3 seconds)
PHONES/LINE OUT
Choose and select one
of the two listening
modes: Headphones
or Line out
AUDIO FORMAT
ENABLE FUNCTION
PRE = volume
DAC = fixed output
MUTE
HIGH - LOW
Browse and select one of the power output
options depending on your Headphones.
The possibility to choose the right
sensitivity allows matching any kind of
Headphones model.
HIGH = 5Watt / LOW = 1Watt
INPUT SELECTION
PRESET 1/2/3
The message showed
on the display when
you select one of the
presets.
FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS
DS-10 was developed using proprietary technologies and features designed to offer the best audiophile
sound quality but also to achieve ease of use and versatility in order to always deliver a great performance
with a large variety of loudspeakers.
11
OVERVIEW DS-10 FEATURES

OFF
DS-10 is in standard mode
(factory setup)
SETUP
Push the rotary knob on the front panel
or the Enter key on the remote control
to access the PRESET menu
THE CHAMELEON DAC
Thanks to its 192 different setup options, DS-10 has the ability to completely blend in with different music
genres, giving the listener the opportunity to adapt the behaviour of the unit to the music playing, to one’s
stereo system and most of all to the listener’s taste.
The combination of Equalisation Curve (low pass filter), De-emphasis curve and Power give each device its
character and specific sonic profile as well as being the means by which a digital-analogue converter affects
the sound.
Other than the DACs on the market, equipped with only one sonic profile, DS-10 allows modifying and storing
these parameters in real time through 3 presets.
ACCESS THE PRESET MENU
To access the PRESET menu one can either use the remote control or the rotary knob on the front panel of
the DS-10.
- By remote control: use the left and right arrow keys to browse the functions visible on the display. Select the
word SETUP and push the ENTER key (central key with GN logo) to confirm and access the PRESET menu.
- By rotary knob: turn the knob to browse the functions, select the word SETUP and push the knob to confirm
and access the PRESET menu.
12
SELECTABLE PARAMETERS

GREY COLOR
The parameter is selected and ready to
be modified.
BLUE COLOR
The changes made are confirmed. You
can select and modify a different
parameter or save the changes made to
the PRESET
PRESET 1-2-3
The changes made to the PRESETs remain stored even if
the DS-10 is turned OFF.
To use a PRESET previously modified simply select it on the
display and push the knob or the ENTER key on the remote
control to confirm the selection.
CUSTOMISE YOUR LISTENING
It’s really easy to select a PRESET and modify its parameters:
- By remote control: use the left and right arrow keys to browse the menu, push the ENTER key to select a
parameter. When the selected parameter turns grey it can be changed: use the arrow keys to increase or
decrease its value. Press the ENTER key to confirm the selected value. Repeat this operation for all
parameters. Select the word OK and press ENTER to save the changes. Select the word CANCEL to undo the
changes and return to the main screen.
- By rotary knob: turn the knob to browse the menu, push the knob to select a parameter. When the selected
parameter turns grey it can be changed turning the knob to increase or decrease its value. Press the knob
to confirm the selected value. Repeat this operation for all parameters. Select the word OK and press the knob
to save the changes. Select the word CANCEL and press the knob to undo the changes and return to the main
screen.
13
SELECTABLE PARAMETERS

DOWNLOAD THE CONTROL APP
Scan the QR Code to download the iOS or Android Control App or search “GN Control” on App Store or
“Mconnect” on Google PlayStore.
IMPORTANT
To use Gold Note App, the phone/tablet
must be connected to the same network
of DS-10.
14
CONTROL APP
repeat the whole track list
play the whole track list once
repeat the current track
TRACK LIST ORDER
random or sequential
PLAY TO
select the music player
SEEK
FAVORITES
folders and tracks
MUSIC
streaming services and local music
PLAY/PAUSE, STOP, SKIP
QUEUE
track list
DEVICE SETUP CONTROL PANEL
VOLUME
DS-10
ANDROID QR
CODE iOS QR CODE

DEVICE SETUP
15
CONTROL APP
DS-10
FIRMWARE UPDATE
If there is a new firmware update available, the app notifies it
WIFI STATIC IP ADDRESS SETUP
LAN STATIC IP ADDRESS SETUP
WIFI NETWORK SELECTION
Connect the device to a different Wi-Fi network
DEVICE NAME CHANGE
Rename the device on the network
GOLD NOTE
DS-10

CONTROL PANEL
16
CONTROL APP
DS-10
LINE OUT/PHONES PRE/DAC
HIGH/LOW
GAPLESS
ON/OFF
NETWORK, BLUETOOTH,
COAX, AES/EBU, TOS
1, TOS 2, USB DAC,
ANALOG* (ONLY ON
DS-10 PLUS)
SETUP, PRESET 1,
PRESET 2, PRESET 3,
OFF
POWER ON/POWER OFF
VALUE AND VOLUME ADJUSTMENT
DS-10

CLOUD SETUP
InCLOUD SETUP you will be able to turn ON/OFF all the streaming services available on DS-10 as:
DEEZER,QOBUZ,SPOTIFY, TIDAL,vTUNER. You will also be able to turn ON/OFF the cloud storage services as:
DROPBOX and ONEDRIVE.
17
CONTROL APP
SORT TRACKS
Music tracks in a folder can be sorted by
track number and track name.
It can be applied even for each folder.
CLOUD SETUP
enable and disable:
- STREAMING SERVICES
- CLOUD SERVICES

PLAY TO AND MUSIC
18
CONTROL APP
MUSIC
In the "Browser" tab choose the source of the music:
STREAMING SERVICES
Deezer | Qobuz | Spotify | TIDAL | vTuner
CLOUD STORAGE SERVICES
Dropbox | OneDrive
LOCAL SERVERS
Network NAS and UPnP/DLNA services
USB flash drives are listed as "DS-10 Server"
PLAY TO
Select the "Play To" tab and then select DS-10.
Please be sure that the DS-10 is connected to the
same network the mobile device is using.
If the App doesn't show the DS-10 it is most likely
due to the fact the mobile device is connected to a
different network than the DS-10.

FAVORITES
Use this button to add folders
and tracks to your Favorites list.
The folder/tracks will be then
listed in the Favorites tab.
You can find the Favorites tab in
the bottom menu.
MY PLAYLISTS
New playlists can be created using
this button when you are in the My
Playlist screen. Use this tab to
manage your playlists, rename or
delete them.
You can create a new playlist also
while browsing music on Streaming
services and local servers.
If you don't want to create a new
Playlist, simply add the tracks to
the playback Queue.
CLOUD SETUP
19
CONTROL APP